Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Hundreds of Brighton
bin workers, members of the GMB, are occupying their canteen in protest at a
£4,000 pay cut proposed by the city's Green-led Council.

Yesterday, after months of negotiations, Brighton
and Hove City Council revealed its plans for how it would make changes to its
system of allowances and expenses to staff. This morning, bin men and street
sweepers gave their response by occupying their canteen and refusing to work
after the details of a pay review were revealed.

Refuse and recycling staff at Hollingdean depot are to
lose up to £4,000 a year. So at 7am this morning, no vehicles left the
Hollingdean depot. After workers were told how the council's offer would affect
them, they said that they wanted to discuss the issue with the council's chief
executive Penny Thompson and council leaderJason
Kitcatbefore
"even considering working".

The
proposal will affect over 260 workers at City Clean and looks to see street
sweepers, one of the lowest paid roles in the Council, will have their annual
salary cut by 25%. In a statement to the Brighton and Hove Council, GMB, the
union representing the affected workers said “Based on the information we have
been given verbally today, it still shows that members of ours will still lose
between £5 and £95 per week” This is exactly the same offer proposed months
ago, before the negotiations even started.

A leaflet being passed around by GMB representatives
said it would work so that staff did not give up "one penny". Mark
Turner, of GMB, said: "There's not a single member of the workforce who
does not support the union on this. At the end of the day they are very angry.
I warned the council and the negotiators that this would and yet they just
carried on. These are hard working low-paid people who, if this goes ahead,
could be faced with making the choice of putting food on the table or paying
their rent."

Mr Turner added the union had permission to ballot
for strike action "as and when" it felt that there was no other
option. Elected politicians handed over control of negotiations to unelected
officers at a council meeting in January. Labour voted against the move but the
Conservatives, along with four members of the Green minority administration
voted for the plan. The Green Party candidates were elected on a pledge to
resist all cuts. One refuse worker, who had worked at the depot for 25 years, speaking
to Sussex University paper The Argus this morning said: "The Greens are
bottling out. They are getting other people to do their work for them. They
have not got the guts to do their job." The council took back the running of the refuse service
a few years ago after a strike force private contractor SITA to exit.

The council's final offer was announced yesterday
and a 90-day consultation into the proposal will now take place. Ms Thompson
said: "These proposals will have little impact on most of the work force
and will mean positive changes for the majority of staff affected. For those
who will see a loss we have ensured that compensation will be provided. The
negotiations have never been about making savings. This is however about making
sure that we are a council fit for purpose with a fair, consistent and
affordable pay and allowances system alongside a clear agenda to provide
efficient, quality services which benefit everyone.”

Unauthorised strike action is an inspiring act, it
promotes workers self-organisation and empowers workers to fight for better
conditions and oppose cuts. The Brighton bin workers are refusing to accept
attacks on their pay and need our full support and solidarity.